Negotiating with EA

TWS89

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone has ever negotiated with an Estate Agent about deposit/first months rent etc for a property that has been up for rent for a while.

There has been a property that would be suitable for me for rent on Rightmove for nearly 3 months now and I was wondering whether there was any wiggle room with the amount of money that has to be put down before you move in?

I anticipate that the move will cost me close to £2,000 but is there anyway to get this cost down with the EA?

Thanks in advance

kinger101

I think if it's been up for three months, I'd be trying to knock the rental down (not just the first month) by say 5-10%. I think they'd be reluctant to take a smaller deposit. People do negotiate on rent. The EA won't reduce fees I expect. NB, the rent reduction would be up to the landlord, but still negotiated via the EA.

ognum

TWS89 wrote: »

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone has ever negotiated with an Estate Agent about deposit/first months rent etc for a property that has been up for rent for a while.

There has been a property that would be suitable for me for rent on Rightmove for nearly 3 months now and I was wondering whether there was any wiggle room with the amount of money that has to be put down before you move in?

I anticipate that the move will cost me close to £2,000 but is there anyway to get this cost down with the EA?

Thanks in advance

Is this house actually available, my properties go on Rightmove etc when the tenants hand in notice, we then start looking for new tenants and it is unusual not to have new tenants lined up very quickly I may keep a void of a couple of weeks to do some work and then the new tenants move in but the property will probably still remain advertised for another month or so, it's an EA ploy to get people phoning in, so, it may actually not be available.

If it is available, ask to view and decide if it's for you and then try some negotiating, I have never reduced an asking rent but have never needed to, I ask just below market value and provide good well maintained properties but if the LL is desperate some rent is better than no rent.

Give it a try!

TWS89

ognum wrote: »

Is this house actually available, my properties go on Rightmove etc when the tenants hand in notice, we then start looking for new tenants and it is unusual not to have new tenants lined up very quickly I may keep a void of a couple of weeks to do some work and then the new tenants move in but the property will probably still remain advertised for another month or so, it's an EA ploy to get people phoning in, so, it may actually not be available.

If it is available, ask to view and decide if it's for you and then try some negotiating, I have never reduced an asking rent but have never needed to, I ask just below market value and provide good well maintained properties but if the LL is desperate some rent is better than no rent.

Give it a try!

I have called them and asked if it is still available and they have said yes and there hasn't been much interest (Which was a little bit worrying - but it's out in the sticks!)

I really like the property, but just haven't got the money up front I'll call them and see if there is anything they can do! Thank you for the reply

G_M

Of course you can negotiate.

The agent can either negotiate back or tell you to take it or leave it.

Loopy28

When I used to rent in the past, I managed to get money off the rent but not off the actual deposit or fees although always worth a try!

I remember seeing a house for £650 month, offered £600 and managed to get them down to £635. At the end of my 6 month tenancy I managed to get it down to £600 by promising I would sign up on another 6 month contract. Was better for the owners to lose £35 month and guarantee the rent for another 6 months. But this was only because houses were sitting about without being rented at the time, would have been different if rentals were in demand.

oldbaldman

Always better to negotiate with the LL direct. In effect you should be negotiating with the LL with the agent as a toll to pass your offers on as the agent is acting for the LL and should be passing any offers to the LL, unless the LL has given them carte blanche to do as they wish? The EA will not care if the property is empty for a time if it means that their management fees are maintained for the term and not reduced. They may blame the market, time of year, inappropriate applicants, a vowel in the month.

What fees are they charging? I came across a lettering agent recently that charges applicants a £100 per applicant "Application Fee". Per property. No guarantee that they will get the property, just £100 to sign up and apply for a property. That is the only issue that you may negotiate with the EA on.

obm